Improvement in barbed-wire fences



A. J. UPHA M. Barbed Wireence; No. 205,702. Patented .luly 2',1s7s.-.

ATTORNEY N.FETERS. PHOTO-LITHQGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREIV J. UPHAM, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD HIS RIGHT TO JOHN H. LAWRENCE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BARBED-WIRE FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,702, dated July 2, 1878; application filed June 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW J. UIHAM, of Sterling, in the county of Whitesides and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barbed Wire Fences, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fencepanel, showing present invention in use. Fig. 2 is a detail,in plan, showing the barb in place between the wires of the cable. Fig. 3 is a detail, in plan, from side opposite to that in foregoing figure. Fig. 4is a detail, in plan, to show a modification in form of the twist in the barb.

This invention relates to improvements in barbed fencing made of wire cables and wire barbs; and it consists more particularly of a barb made of a single piece of wire, and having a twist or corrugation near its middle or central part, to serve as a means for lockin g it into or securely uniting it with the strands of the cable, and also in the combination of the barb and the wire cable, all as will now be more in detail set out and explained.

In the accompanying drawings, A denotes a wire-fence cable made of strands a a, which are preferably twisted together. Any number ot'these cables can be used in making the fencepanel; but in practice it has been found that three usually answer best. Between the wires to a, and at suitable distances apart from each other along said cable, are set the barbs B. Each of these barbs is made of a single wire, I), which is twisted, bent, coiled, or corrugated at about the middle of its length, as now indicated at b. This twist or coil has a sufficiently large diameter on its surface to insure the projection of its edges or sides over or beyond the cable-wires when the barb is set in place, as above described, in the cable. When thus fixed, the cable-wires a a will pass between the portion b of the barb and b, the twist or coil; and by this engagement of the two wires, one above and the other below, the barb B will be securely locked and held in position, so that it will neither slide nor turn in its seat independentof the cable. This means and method of fixing the barb in place is very neat in appearance. The pointed ends I) b" of the barb, extending in opposite directions, are adapted to be pointed vertically or horizontally, as shall be desired. It is designed to so place the barbs that they will alternate on each cable in above respect, and that the barbs on the several cables shall come in suitable and effective relation each to the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I consider new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The barb B, consisting of a single wire, b, twisted, bent, coiled, or corrugated, as described, at I), to make aretaining seat or boss when used in a fence cable or panel, and having pointed ends b" b, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of barb B, constructed as described, with the wire-fence cable A, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I do claim the foregoing as my own I do affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW J. UPHAM. "Witnesses:

CALVIN MARTIN, W. D. MARSH. 

